A 27-year-old man charged with murder after a New Year’s Eve police chase ended in a fiery crash that killed one of his passengers and injured an innocent driver appeared in court late Monday night.
In addition to the murder charge, it turns out Christian Rayo currently has a warrant out for burglary of habitation, an evading arrest charge, and five aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges. His bond was set at a total of $430,000.
For the burglary charge against Rayo, documents say his ex-girlfriend of five years is accusing him of kicking down her apartment door and beating her up back in October 2022.
As for the murder charge, that came about after an incident with authorities at about 8:25 p.m. on Dec. 31. Deputies with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office tried conducting a traffic stop on a maroon Toyota Camry, which Rayo was driving, for speeding on Barker Cypress Road near the Katy Freeway.
In the midst of the pursuit, Rayo refused to stop at a red light on Barker Cypress at Park Row Boulevard and hit a black Jaguar X-TYPE that was turning onto Park Row.
Rayo and his four passengers, including a 12-year-old girl, were taken to a hospital. The driver of the Jaguar, who was also hospitalized, was later identified as Ergert Moore.
Charging documents state that Moore is suffering a brain bleed and cannot speak.
Days after the crash, on Jan. 4, the 12-year-old passenger in Rayo’s vehicle died from her injuries, police said.